At first I wondered if Square One Prep, which came recommended by a friend who worked with them the year before and got into HBS, Wharton, and Kellogg, was worth my hard-earned money. In retrospect, working with Square One Prep was invaluable. From my very first conversation with Kathryn, the firm's owner, to my very last, working with them made all the difference for both my applications and my sanity. It was as if SOP shined a flashlight down a dark passageway and then guided me to safety. My anxiety for the daunting and opaque application process disappeared because I knew I was in good hands. It meant a lot due to how much conflicting information is out there on the blogs and forums.
The support I received allowed me to focus on the important things, like being myself rather than second-guessing myself. Kathryn encouraged me to talk about topics that I never would have considered appropriate for b-school applications, but in retrospect I am so happy I did talk about because I now see myself and some experiences in my life very differently, more maturely. I also think that talking about the personal experiences I did helped set me apart from the competition. One topic was particularly difficult to open up about. But Kathryn made me feel comfortable going to places in my head that I didn't even go to with my family or girl friend.
Kathryn was also incredibly accommodating, working around my i) hectic work schedule (that sometimes meant we did calls after midnight) and ii) personal vacation which was unplanned and meant Kathryn had to work with me in a VERY rushed manner upon my return to ensure I made my deadlines. It was hard work, but Square One Prep enabled me to put my best foot forward. In fact, they wouldn't let me do anything less, even if that meant going through ten iterations on an essay or doing a mock interview 2-3 times to make sure I was ready. I should add that I was interviewing when Hurricane Sandy hit the Northeast. When Square One Prep's office and Kathryn's apartment lost power for days (like most of NYC), Kathryn still found places to give me two 2-hour+ mock interviews over the phone so I wouldn't have to do my HBS interview cold. That's dedication.

I am happy to share that, thanks to the help from SOP, I was accepted into two top-5 schools, including my #1 choice, HBS. Even with a lackluster GPA in college and no extracurricular activities since college, I got into my dream school. Money well spent!

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"When I began the b-school process I was working 80 hours weeks and had less than two months to finish taking the GMAT exam and knock out my applications for round 1; to say I was stressed and overwhelmed would be an understatement. Fortunately a colleague of mine had just finished his time at Stanford GSB and strongly recommended that I work with his consultant, Square One Prep. After speaking with Square One's owner I was blown away by her years of experience and wealth of knowledge, but most importantly, I felt like she truly cared about my individual success and that I wasn't just another client.
I partnered with her specifically, and she immediately relieved some of my anxiety by getting me organized through setting a work schedule that we executed against. As we began working together I soon realized her strength was her ability to guide my writing such that I would be presenting my story and candidacy in the most effective way possible without altering my voice or message. Additionally, her honesty was an invaluable tool for improving my applications; she did not hesitate to tell me when something was weak and needed fixing. Her "on-the-ball" mentality and impressive responsiveness kept me honest and focused.
The final results speak for themselves; I received admission to Stanford GSB, my top choice, as well as admission to another great school with a sizeable fellowship. I am positive that without Square One's help, none of that would have been remotely possible."

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I am so grateful I found Square One Prep. I knew I was a strong candidate for top schools - but so is everyone else that applies! My advisor worked very closely with me to elevate my story and highlight a unique theme throughout every element of my applications in a way that made me distinct and truly competitive. She always told me what I needed to hear, even if it wasn't what I wanted to hear. She even told me when she thought I was ready to work on some schools' applications without her to save a little money! Her personal touch, unwavering honesty and genuine desire to see me succeed made the entire process of applying - as well as the process now of preparing to matriculate in the Fall (with a $100,000 scholarship, woohoo!) - surprisingly enjoyable. I would look forward to our calls because her thoroughly dedicated coaching helped me reflect personally and uncover so much more confidence than I knew I had. My recommenders were also so impressed with how easy she made the experience for them that they wanted to hire Square One for their kids applying to undergrad!

Square One's coaching was priceless to me - I feel like I cannot express my gratitude enough!

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I began my business school application with much anxiety. Like many of my fellow applicants, I thought I had a compelling story, with my military background and entrepreneurial endeavors. However, on my first call with Square One Prep, my consultant made me realize that I needed to do much more in order to standout, not just apart from other applicants, but apart from the other military applicants. With my consultant's constant coaching, I dug deep and found a stronger inner voice and self-confidence, not to mention a common theme that bound all my isolated experiences into a unique, personable and heartfelt story. My consultant spent months working with me to help me find my way. Her honest feedback and suggestions were what really made the difference in my applications. Furthermore, I had a fairly unimpressive GMAT score, but with my consultant’s encouragement and support (which included study tips and was outside the bounds of our engagement), I took the exam one more time and raised my score significantly. Knowing that she was so invested in my success was invaluable. I started the process confused. I ended the process with clarity about who I am, what I want to do, and an invitation to matriculate at the one and only school I applied to - HBS!!!!
–client from: United States
–admitted to: HBS

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My consultant at Square One Prep (Kathryn) was excellent; the entire experience overall was very satisfying. Kathryn was very personable and patient with me, as well as very knowledgeable of the requirements for this type of application. She really made the experience smooth and as pleasant as possible, which was definitely appreciated.

I would certainly recommend this company (and Kathryn) as the fee was reasonable and the quality was certainly there. I was very happy with the process overall, and would recommend it to anyone who needs this type of consulting service -- especially for someone like me who has a GPA that may not be as high as he or she would like.

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I tested out a number of big-name consultants during my MBA admissions process before I hired Square One Prep, who was a clear stand out. First, my consultant had many years of experience in admissions consulting and offered rare knowledge of the inner-workings of admissions committees. Second, while it was on me to drive the process with other consultants, my consultant at Square One Prep was consistently one step ahead of me on my applications--it was encouraging and helped me sustain momentum. Third, she was also able to schedule around me, which made the process easier to manage alongside my demanding professional obligations. Fourth, her consistently thoughtful strategies made me feel like the weaker parts of my candidacy were surmountable. The entire time I felt as though my consultant was invested in my candidacy, a dynamic which was entirely absent in my relationships with other high-profile consultants. Her energy was infectious. I couldn’t more highly recommend Square One Prep. I'm off to Wharton in the Fall and in retrospect I realize that the price of their service is a bargain!

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I first called Square One Prep last Fall. I was referred by a friend who'd had success partnering with them. The owner was mighty impressive, and I wanted to sign up, but because the price tag was tough to swallow, I chose to partner with a less expensive group.
I worked with my consultant for three months, but never felt fully supported by them. Three weeks before I submitted my applications, concerned that my work was showing that lack of support, I reached out to Square One's owner. I really didn't know what my next step should be. The owner sensed that and offered to review my body of work - for free - and give me an honest assessment. She clearly spent several hours. When she walked me through all her comments, which took more than an hour, I probably should have been distraught by how much work I realized I had ahead of me. I instead felt a sense of relief because I finally felt like I had an expert at my side, guiding me. On the spot, I hired Square One and stopped working with my other consultant. Not once did I think about the new cost. Square One more than earned it. And I learned a lesson. With mba admissions consulting, what you pay for is what you get.
When I got offers from Columbia, Kellogg, and Wharton, my first call, each time, was to Square One because I knew that had I not worked with them I'd have gotten no offers. For something as important as an MBA, it's not worth compromising on anything, especially an admissions consultant. I got offers in the end, but I should have worked with Square One from the beginning! Thank you Square One!

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"I am off to Kellogg, knowing this would never have been possible without Square One Prep’s help. My consultant took the time to understand who I am, explained the process and the challenges I faced (low undergrad GPA, suspension from college), brainstormed with me to develop a strategy, and helped me execute a plan. She was passionately interested in my success. She was also always available, promptly replying to my questions and providing feedback. Although there were times when the application process felt daunting, my consultant was always there to re-energize me. She was a joy to work with, always positive and frank. If you want results, call Square One Prep."

client from: Canada

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I initially signed on with Square One Prep because it was the best personality fit for me among all the firms I spoke to and I appreciated my counselor’s straightforward manner and confidence.
Everyone looks for something different in their counselor. I work in a high intensity finance job with an erratic schedule and itinerary and I am a serious procrastinator so I needed someone who was flexible, kept long hours far beyond usual business hours, would hold me accountable to deadlines and remind me, and was available on short notice. Also, I needed someone who thought differently from me, would not be shy about sharing their own opinions, perspective, and experienced, and yet would not be dismissive of my ideas.
During the months I spent working with my counselor, she showed all of the qualities that were important to me. I was pleasantly surprised as my applications unfolded. She was very responsive, from the morning until well past midnight. There were no days of the week that were off limits; weekends were treated the same as weekdays. There were no parts of the application or interview process that were not covered and I never sensed that there was a reluctance to do work on my part because other clients were demanding my counselor’s time. My counselor was organized, and nothing slipped through the cracks. Most importantly, I was consistently pushed in directions and into areas that I would never have discovered myself, not just for the sake of doing so, but because doing so made my application better; that was the biggest value-add of working with Square One Prep. I came out of the process feeling that between all of the work that I put into the process and the significant guidance from my counselor, I did everything I could in my power to get into business school. I am happy with my outcomes and heartily recommend Square One Prep.

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Thank you Square One Prep. My consultant, Kathryn, was exactly the personal adviser I needed to get into a top business school. After a few sessions with two consultants from large admissions consulting companies, the personal dedication that I got from Square One Prep was a breath of fresh air. My consultant really took the time to fully understand my background and my career aspirations. Not only did she help me sharpen my essays and prepare for interviews, but more importantly, she helped me with the very crucial “soul searching”, before I even started working on my essays. After just a couple of coaching sessions with her, I was able to clearly articulate my career goals and aspirations, while creating a fit with my prior experience and the specific MBA programs that I was applying to.

While Kathryn was my biggest fan, she was also very direct and did zero sugar-coating, which was exactly what I needed because I was on a very tight deadline. She helped me identify my strengths and weaknesses, polish my story and present myself as a unique candidate by highlighting the relevant aspects of my work background, academics and life experiences. In a nutshell, she gave me peace of mind and took the stress out of what could have been a stressful process.

I ended up going to the Johnson School, which was exactly the right fit for me. The career path that Kathryn helped me articulate in my applications is exactly the path I am currently successfully following - so her career advice was priceless and spot on.

I highly recommend Square One Prep to anyone who wants personal and dedicated help from an outfit that knows everything there is to know about giving you a competitive advantage.

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